3 Ways to Avoid Awkward Family Holiday Experiences

The holiday season is a wonderful time of year, but it can also be . . . Awkward. 

That's right. There's just something about spending 3 or 4 hours with family members you only see once or twice a year. I realize I'm a day late on this, but after facing the awkwardness myself, I decided to come up with 3 ways to casually avoid the awkwardness that only holidays can bring. 

1) Don't be an adult.  

Literally, don't be an adult. Be almost a child. Not like in a way that craps your pants, but in a way that doesn't know awkward silences exist. Speak your mind, make dumb jokes and eat lots of dessert. As a kid, you wouldn't recognize the awkwardness of certain situations. You would only take every opportunity to have fun. Try it. Have fun with your family and don't be afraid to sit at the kids table. 

2) Respectfully decline conversations concerning salary, politics and what's in the casserole 

What can be worse than discussing you're current relationship status or when you're going to have kids? Politics, salaries and who made the not so tasty casserole. Avoid these conversation topics at all costs because they can often only go south. Instead, pick conversations that are extended but not limited to puppies, Star Wars (no spoilers) or the weather (excluding global warming). If you stick to these conversation topics, you can rest assured that the most awkward part of your family holiday experience will only be holding hands during the family prayer. 

3) Handshakes, not hugs

I don't care if your grandma is coming in hot with arms wide open and you haven't seen her in five years. This is strictly business. Shake her hand. You don't want to try to figure out who to give side hugs to, who to give full frontal hugs to or who to give bro hugs to. Stick with the handshakes. 

There you have it. If you follow these three steps, you'll be guaranteed to not have an awkward holiday. You may not seem human, you may get a lot of weird looks and no one will like you by the end of it, but you will have pushed the awkwardness off for another year. Cheers, and have a very merry, unawkward Christmas and New Year!

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Don't follow this list.  

When Working Over the Holidays Gets You Down

This year, I feel a lot like Santa. This isn't because it's been nearly two months since I hit the gym or because I've been eating two of my mom's Christmas cookies before bed every night; it's because for the first time in my life, I'm having to work over the holidays.  

At first (and still at times) it seemed like a major downer having to work over the holidays. Knowing that while all my friends and family would be enjoying their time on vacation I'd be sitting at work bummed me out, as it would most people. All I could think about were the things I would be missing out on: the time with family, binge watching the Harry Potter series or ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas and sitting in front of the fire place late into the night in my PJs. These are the things I've done on my Christmas holidays for years, but not this year. This year is different. 

What a downer; however, while most of my thoughts about working over the holidays were on the negative side of things and the things I'd be missing out on, my thoughts should've instead been on the things I'm getting to do, things like feel like Santa.

The job that I'm having to work is rather 'North Pole-ish.' I'm not giving toys away to thousands of children or riding in a sleigh anywhere, but I do get to help bring the spirit of Christmas to tons of children, couples and families. Essentially, I'm helping manage an event in Tulsa called 'Winterfest.' What's more North Pole-ish than that? I'm helping run a Christmas festival full of lights, hot chocolate, horse & carriage rides, and ice skating. These are all things that do nothing but fill people with the holiday spirit and put smiles on their faces, just like Santa. 

You see, the interesting thing about Santa is that he has to work on Christmas Eve and Christmas too. Weird, huh? The one guy you'd think should get some time off on Christmas has to work. He doesn't get to sit around with Mrs. Clause by the fireplace watching Harry Potter either. Instead, he spends his holiday working and bringing joy to others.   

Maybe you feel a little bit like Santa this year too. Maybe you got stuck working a shift at the hospital, or it's your first year at a company so you don't have any vacation time. Whatever the situation is, you've found yourself working throughout the holidays, and so far, you've had no reason to smile about it. Until now. I want to give you a reason to smile about it. 

If you're working through the holidays this season and start to cry every time, "I'll be Home for Christmas" comes on the radio, I've got good news for you. You're not alone; you're just like Santa, and just like Santa does, you get to have the opportunity to spread some Christmas joy with people on a day when everyone deserves to be filled with some Christmas joy. It's a pretty sweet opportunity when you think about it. Yes, there will always be the things you're missing out on, but there are also things you're getting to be a part of that not everyone gets to do. One of the coolest parts of the Christmas season is having the opportunity to serve others, and you'll have just that. So, if you're working this holiday season, take heart and know you're not alone, and that you're getting to play Santa Clause for someone who probably needs it.  

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Even Santa won't be home for Christmas.